Kiyia Velasco and Charlie George will join the cast of Oliver!

by Martin Jefferies

A taste of West End stardom is on the menu for these two children who were selected to appear in hit musical Oliver.

Kiyia Velasco Mills, 10, and Charlie George, 12, both received call-ups to be part of Fagin’s gang in the popular show at London’s Drury Lane theatre.

Canterbury High pupil Charlie, from Shalmsford Street in Chartham, is now appearing in the show alongside Rowan Atkinson and Jodie Prenger, winner of the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything, for four performances a week.

He had to succeed in six separate auditions before being offered the part.

Blean primary pupil Kiyia, from Joy Lane in Whitstable, was also offered a role in the musical but was unable to accept it due to school commitments.

Paul Mills, director of the dance school, said: “I’m immensely proud of Charlie and Kiyia, who have done exceptionally well and received such good praise in the auditions.

“It’s very unusual to have two kids from the same dance school achieve call-ups to a West End production, especially at such a young age.”

Kiyia and Charlie are no strangers to the world of entertainment; both performed in a recent production of Bugsy Malone at Margate’s Theatre Royal, and Charlie has appeared in TV shows including Casualty.

He is also the voice of Brewster in animated childrens’ show Chuggington.